Process for reproducing pictures



UNIT

CHARLES w. sALAL'BuRe; on NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. TO THE refer/[Aroma col, 7

Inc OF-NEW YORKQN. Y A CORPORATION OF new YORK. V

, rnocnss son nnrnonncnve rrornnns.

1,407,301. 1*! 0 Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. CHARLES W.- SAAL- rose, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New Yorkand State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes for Reproducing Pictures, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a process of reproducing'pictures of various kinds, and for many different purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide a process by means of which pictures may be reproduced in quantity with very great rapidity and at a minimum cost. YA further object is to provide a process of this character by means of which pictures may be reproduced, if desired, without necessitating the use of photography with the delays, cost,

and inaccuracy of reproduction which are-,-

incident thereto. -Again,-'one of the most important objects of my invention is to re produce pictures by a method involving the use of etching, but which obviates-the necessity of using sensitized sheets of paper for transferring the picture to the surface to be etched, so as to thus avoid inaccuracies in positioning, as for example, inaccuracies in registry'in multi-color printing. The'object of my invention is particularly to avoid the inaccuracies in registry due to shrinkage, stretching, and warping present in the use of'sensitized sheets of paper, which must be made alternately wet and dry in order to carry out the processes previously in use. Again, another object is to provide instrumentalities which have better wearing and printing qualities than in the'case of previous processes. Still another ObjGCt'lS to provide such lnstrumentalities which have inked recesses thereon having difl'erent sizes and shapes, but of substantially the same depth.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description thereof WVhile my invention is capable of embodiment'in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration I shall describe only certain ways of carrying out thefsame hereinafter. I i I I For example, in carrying out my inven tion, I may proceed as follows: i

It will be assumed that theprocess is being used for producing multi-color pictures, but it is to be understood also that, the

, Specification of Letters Patent. Pate ited Feb, 21, 1922, Application filed February 15, 1921. Serial No. 445,179. I

process is equally applicable for the producsuitable material is provided with'an etched v impression in any suitable manner. This may be done 1n accordance wlth the previously known processes for producing rotary photogravure pictures, as when it is desired to produce in fine detail photographicsub ects of'various kinds. *Saidim'pressionmay be applied to the key roll, however, without the use of photography. In'order'to apply the impression in'this manner, the roll is first coated with a suitable solution which 7 I may, for example, be comprised-as follows} 5% by weight offvaseline," v A 16% fisphaltum solution,

3 3 ees wax 3% Oil of lavender,

5% mastic varnish. v The asphaltum solution may be "comprised of an amount of those constituents dissolved in an amount of turpentine to give the con comprised of mastic dissolved in turpentine to the consistency "of athick. cream. This solution is applied to the cylinder while'the latter is hot, and is allowed todrainjand cool so as to cover the entire surfaceof the cylinder with a readilyremovable solid' coating. 'Thereupon, I applyfover the surface of the cylinder a thin sheet, which may, for example, be of very thin metal, such as aluminum, Zinc,'or tin, or which ma be, of transparent celluloid, or of paper, but which is preferably of a flexible unstretchable char- I acter. This sheet is previously preparedby roughening the upper surface ther'eof,"a's

for example b rubbing] the same with powdered glass or sand,,or in any other manner, and on the 'under surface Of the same either provided with'a roughened sur face or tooth, by rubbing the samein' ia similar manner or in any other desired way or'instead, I may glue to'said under surfac'e a layer ofsome material havlng-a rough surface, asfor example crepe fde Chinese muslin, or thin veiling, jandjwhi'ch is preferably ofa thin light character. The

sheet having the surfaces thereon-prepared in this manner is then bent' o'ver the {coated surface of'the key roll, and the 'edges of the lee - is obtained.

reproduced. The drawing by the artist upon the upper surface can be seen because the latter has been roughened. The artist also makes registry marks at the edges of the.

drawing which become transferred to the roll together with the picture drawn. The lines thus made cause the portions of the crepe de chine beneath the sheet to remove the coating immediately beneath the same, opposite the places where the lines, dots, or other marks are drawn, so as to make corresponding lines, dots, or other marks in the coating, such lines being made, however, in the form of a group; of dotslocated very close; together because of the rough texture of the crepe de chine. At the points where these lines, dots, or other marks are made, the surface of the copper roll is entirely uncovered, because of the coating having beenremoved by the pressure of the a-rtists pencil, so as to leave the same bare. When the'picture has been completed in this manner, the sheet and the crepe de chine attached thereto are removed from the cylinder, and the cylinder is then rotated in an etching bath of ferric chloride in water having a strength'of 30 to 37 degrees 1%., until the desired-depth of the etching water, dried, and then subjected to a washing of turpentine to remove the remaining coating. An impression will now be found upon theroll corresponding to the picture drawn on the sheet comprised. of innumerable dots of varying areas and shapes, but of the same depth.

lncase the process is applied to the reproduction of line photographic subjects,

therewill be no sheet used here as above indicated in'pro'ducing the key roll, and in this event, no sheet is used for making the key roll, but said roll is made by photogravure in accordancewith the methods of making such rolls previously used V From this master'roll are made afplurality of color printing rolls depending upon the number of colors to be used in ]making the particular picture. Such colors cylinders, as'forexample for printing in red.

A-sheet isnowprepared for each of the The roll is then washed with color rolls by printing on another sheet of the same character above described, an impression of the drawing from the'key'cylin- V der together with the registry marks thereon. The registry marks at the edge of the picture on the sheet will be cut out in case the sheet is made of an opaque material, so that they may be registered with the marks on the color cylinders which receivetheir initial impressions from the key roll. Said sheet is now applied to the first color cylinder by registering the'm'arks referred to, and securing the edges of the sheet to the cylinder with adhesive tape, said cylinder having previously been supplied with'a coating of a coating composition of the character above referred to, and in the manner above described. The artist now draws upon the surface of said sheet a drawing with the necessary technique for the parts of the picture to appear. in red, and these portions of the picture become thus transferred to the cylinder as above indicated; 'The plate and attached fabric are then removed, the cyl1n-.

der etched, washed, dried, and treated to re- 'nianner as above described Where it is desired to show in the picture delicate fine tones, such as the sky and flesh tints, the color roll may besubiectedtoia' further treatment of the following ichar= acter: The drawing by" the artist "which has already been applied as above described supplies toithe picture the masses and important parts thereof, but the remainder 'of the pic i ture comprising the delicate fine tones '-.iS supplied in a different way. :In or'derto accomplish this, the roll has wipedthereon a thick ink, so as to fill the crevices of the etching, and the surface isfthen rubbed absolutely clean with azrag and the-hand, and the ink is dried uponthe roll-by: heating.

Thereupon, the roll has applied thereto a thick asphaltum varnish diluted with turpentine, by means of'an air brushrwhich'has the effect of producing on? thesurface of-the roll multitude of fine particlesor droplets of the compositionthus applied in the form of a delicate spray.- This asphaltum varnish will be comprised of asphaltum, or any resinous material dissolved initurpentineto a consistency suitable for-the air brush or spraying. The effect will be to'provide a miniature grain upon the surfa ce,the size of which will depend uponthe distance of the spray away from the surface. The greater the distance, the'ii'ner will be thezspray and the resultant grain. -The particles of the resinous composition will then'harden upon the roll due to the evaporation. I

If desired, instead of applying the asphaltum inthis manner, a grain may be made upon the surface of the roll by heating the I melt the grains to cau e the same to adhere thereto, and spreading the grains somewhat by later applying a higher heat. The first described method-by using an air brush is, however, preferable.

Afterthishas been done, and the grain has been thus applied to therolland allowed to harden, the masses and importantparts of the picture are blocked out by applying to these portions of the picture a mastic varnish, made ascabove,,orot-her varnish, so as to prevent these portions of the picture from becoming etched. Where portions of the picture are to be blended or shaded off gradually, this may be accomplished by applying to the edges of the blocked out portions, a lithographic wax' crayon, the same as is used on lithographic stones. After the roll has been prepared in this manner, it is etched slightly with a bath of ferric chloride of the same characterpreviously described, is washed and then, dried. If desired, to provide variations even in these delicatefine tones, portions may now be blocked out in a similar manner and the etching continued in the same way. This may be repeated several times, if desired, until the artist is entirely satisfied. on the roll are removed by the application of gasoleneor turpentine, and the roll thus prepared is ready for printing. For printing, the roll is provided with any suitable ink applied in any suitable way, and in fact may be operated and manipulated the same as in the case of rolls used in rotary photogravure in accordance with the previous processes.

When pictures are produced from these color rolls, it will be found that perfect registry is obtained, as the pictures have in effect been made by combining impressions from several cylinders which register exactly with the key cylinder. -Where the key cylinder is used to make all of the other impressions on the other cylinders, it is not possible for the impressions on said other cylinders not to occupy the same relative positions, as would be the case if from a single subject a number of photographic sensitive sheets of paper should be needed for transferring the several colors'of the.

picture to different cylinders.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. The process of etching a master cylinder or roll comprising applying a coating of a material capable of removal by a slight pressure, fixing thereover a thin sheet of material having arough' rear surface, drawing a design and registry marks upon the sheet whereby corresponding parts of the said Thereupon, all of the materials 1 coating are removed, and etching the cylinderr 2. The process of etching a master-roll comprising applying a coating of an asphaltumcomposition capable of removal by a slight pressure, fixing thereover a thin sheet of paper having a-rough' rearlsurface, drawing a design and registry marks upon the sheet whereby-corresponding parts of the, said coating are-removed, and etching the cylinder.

3. The process of etching rolls to secure registry, comprising the steps of transferring-to a roll a designfcontainingregistry marks-fromfa master roll, supplyingthe. former roll with a removable coating, re-" moving portions of the coating to register with the design to be printed in color, etching the rolls, and removing the coatings. V

4. The process of etching rolls tosecure registry, comprising the steps of transfer ring to color rolls a design contalmng registry marks from a master roll, supplying the color rolls with removable coatings, se-

curing thereon in registry thin sheets hav-.

ing impressions of the design, drawing the color design on the sheets, etching the rolls,

and removing the coatings.

registry, comprising the steps of transferring to color rolls a design from a master or key roll provided with registry marks, printing thin papers having rough rear surfaces from the key roll, placing them in registry on the color rolls prepared by coating them with a removable coating, drawing the color design on the paper, etching the 5. The process of etching rolls to secure color rolls, and finally removing the coatings.

6. The process of etching copper rolls to register in color work, comprising the steps of transferring to color rolls a design containing registry'marks from a key roll, supplying the color rolls with removable coatings, removing portions of the coatings by pressure through a registering paper print of the key roll, said portions registering with the design to be in color, etching the rolls, and removing the coatings.

7. The process of etching rolls to register in color work, comprising the steps of transferring to color rolls} a design from a key roll having registry marks, printing thin papers having rough rear surfaces from the key roll, placlng them in registry on color rolls coated with a removable coating, drawingthe color design on the paper, etching thecolor rolls, and finally removing the coatings.

8. The process of etching rolls to secure registry, comprising the steps of etching a master roll in a design having registry marks, supplying the etched parts witha pigment, making an impression therefrom upon another or color roll, printing a sheet from the master roll, coating the color r011,

supplying thereon in registry the printed sheet drawing thereon the design tobe in color and etohin the color roll.

9. The process of etching a color roll to pro duce designs adapted to yield fine tones,

comprising etching the principal design in the color roll, applying and drying a thlck I tones.

10. The process of etching color roll'to produce designs adapted to yield fine tones, comprising 'etchlng the principal design in aos/s01 the color roll, filling in the etched portions, applying a spray over the surface of the roll, blocking out portions of the design, and 7 the color roll, filling in the etched portions,

applying a fine grain over the surface of the roll, blocking out portions of the design, and then etching.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of February, 1921.

CHARLES W. SAALBURG. 

